Fabric covered button



Aug. 25, 1953 ZELENAY FABRIC COVERED BUTTON Filed June 11, 1951 anw/6 ZELf/vg INVENTOR.

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Patented Aug. 25, 1953 UNITED STATES@ TENT CFFICE This invention relates to a fabric covered button and to devices enabling buttons to be easily produced that have fabric coverings.

Explanatory of the present invention, there are many instances in articles of clothing where it is desirable to have buttons covered with a fabric. Such fabric may be of the same fabric as that of which the article of clothing is formed and to which the button is to be ultimately applied. In other instances, the fabric applied to the button may be of a decidedly contrasting type of fabric.

A primary object of the present invention is to provide an improved construction which will greatly facilitate the application of a fabric covering to an element of the button and facilitate the assembly therewith of other parts which will firmly hold the covering in applied position and which will enable the attach-ment of the button to an article of clothing.

With the foregoing and other objects in view, which will be made manifest in the following detailed description and specifically pointed out in the appended claim, reference is had to the accompanying drawings for an illustrative embodiment of the invention, wherein:

Figure l is an exploded view in perspective of parts of the improved button illustrating their manner of assembly;

Fig. 2 is a view, parts being broken away and shown in vertical section, illustrating the improved button as having been partially assembled; and

Fig. 3 is a partial view in vertical section illustrating the elements of the button in assembled f relationship.

Referring to the accompanying drawing wherein similar reference characters designate similar parts throughout, the improved button consists of a concave-convex outer support I0 of generally the size and shape of the nished button. This outer support is preferably formed of sheet metal and has at its margins relatively narrow side walls II which terminate at an internal annular fiange I2 that is relatively narrow in width. This flange cooperates with the body portions of the support I0 to define an internal annular recess I3 on the concave side of the support of sufficient width to partially receive a split spring expanding ring I4. one side only, see Fig. l, and its ends are preferably rebated as indicated at I5 and I6 so that there may be a substantial overlapping of the ends without an increase in thickness where the overlap occurs.

The expansion ring I4 is split at 1 Claim. (Cl. 24-113) In conjunction with the parts above described, there is a backing plate Il, the center of which may be domed as at I8 and apertured as at I9 to provide sewing holes through which thread may be passed in sewing the button onto a garment. The backing plate I1 is likewise preferably formed of sheet metal and is equipped with a short annular flange 20, spaced portions of which are embossed outwardly as indicated at 2|. The diameter of the flange 20 is such that it can be forced or snapped through the expansion ring I4 when the expansion ring is within the concave side of the support I0. The outwardly embossed portions 2| in being forced through the expansion ring expand outwardly and serve to lock the parts in assembled relationship as shown in Fig. 3. The flange also in this position serves to hold the expansion ring I4 against contraction or collapse.

The support or face plate I0, the expansion ring I4, and the backing plate I1 are normally supplied to the user who desires to equip a garment with covered buttons. In preparing a covered button employing these part-s a patch of fabric or cloth C of adequate size and shape to more than cover the convex face of the support II) is applied to the convex face. The edges of this fabric are drawn together so as to cause the fabric to smoothly cover the face of the support and are then passed through the expansion ring I4. While the fabric is held in a taut condition with the edges extending through the ring I4 the ring is forced downwardly into the concave side of the support. In so doing, the ring is collapsed or contracted slightly on passing through the covered annular flange I2. When the ring occupies a position opposite the recess I3 it is released and permitted to expand under its own inherent resiliency. The expansion of the ring against the fabric C causes the fabric to be held thereby in a taut condition, covering the face of the support I0. The excess portions of the fabric can then be trimmed off although adequate margins should be left on which the expansion ring I4 can be effective.

When the parts have been thus assembled somewhat as depicted in the lower portion of Fig. 2, the backing plate II may then be as-4 sembled. This is accomplished by merely forcing the ange 20 through the expansion ring so that ultimately. the parts assume the relationship shown in Fig. 3, wherein the expansion ring is held by the flange 20 in its expanded condition, holding the fabric C applied around the support. The embossments 2I as they spring outwardly beneath the expansion ring, serve to hold the backing plate against withdrawal from Within the expansion ring. The button thus constructed is completed and is ready for application to a garment or other article by sewing through the apertures I9. Any equivalent means may be employed for attaching the backing plate to an article of clothing.

From the above-described construction it will be appreciated that the face plates or support members `for buttons embodying the present invention can be easily produced by forming sheet metal stampings. The expansion rings are like-A wise capable of being economically formed and the backing plates can also be produced from forming sheet metal stampings. Inthis manner the improved button can be very economically manufactured.

The design is such that the parts may be easily and quickly assembled together and when the covering has been properly applied it will be found to be very effectively retained in a smooth, taut condition over the convex face of the face plate i0.

Various changes may be made in the details of construction Without departing from the spirit and scope of the invention as dened by the appended claims.

I claim.

A button construction for making covered buttons comprising a concave-convex support over Which a covering material is adapted to be positioned,v said support having around its edges an inwardly extending flange cooperating with the body of the support to form an internal recess Within which said covering material is to be positioned, a split expansion ring partially receivable in said recess to retain the edges of the covering material therein, said expansion ring being irregularly split in order that portions along the line of split will overlap when the ring is in the extreme expanded condition, a backing plate adapted to be snapped Within the confines of said support, said backing plate having an edge' thereon in contacting relationship with said ange and said ring and overlying said ring, said backing plate having an annular flange disposed inwardly of said edge and receivable through and in contacting relationship with the expansion ring holding 'the latter against collapse and holding the parts in assembled relationship, said an nular flange having a number of regularly spaced embossed portions thereon adapted to expand beneath the expansion ring to hold the backing plate in the assembled position, and a perforated dome on the exterior of said backing plate spaced inwardly from said edge and annular flange.

LUDWIG ZELENAY.

References Cited in the le of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS Number Name Date 1,446,801 Kuckelsberg et al. Feb. 27, 1923 FOREIGN PATENTS Number Country Date 641,165 Germany Jan. 21, 1937 62,626 Denmarkv Aug. 28, 1944 

